Rose creams

Pretty and pink, these dainty creams would make a lovely homemade Mother's Day gift.

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By Alison Walker

Clare Winfield

Make sure you use the more intense rose extract rather than rosewater; both are available from delis and supermarkets.

Total Time: 0:30

Prep: 0:30

Level:
Easy

Yield:
makes 35 - 40

Ingredients

450 g. icing sugar, sifted

a few drops of rose extract

2 medium egg whites

rose or pink food colouring paste

crystallised rose petal pieces

Directions

Put the icing sugar in a bowl with a few drops of the extract – don’t add too much as the flavour will be too strong; you can add more later if necessary.

Beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy. Add about two-thirds to the icing sugar and, using a fork, work in thoroughly. Be patient and don’t be tempted to add all of the egg white – it will come together within a minute or so. Once the mixture looks like large flakes, add a few dabs of food colouring using the end of a cocktail stick – again, don’t add too much as the colour will be strong and you can add more. Bring together with your hands and knead until smooth and the colour is even – it should be very stiff. If you add too much egg white, the dough will be sticky and harder to roll out. But if you do, simply add a little more sifted icing sugar.

Roll out to a thickness of 5-7mm. If you have a cake smoother, use this to smooth over the top of the dough. With a 3-4cm cutter, stamp out circles. Re-knead and re-roll the cuttings.

While the sweets are still tacky, press in a few petal pieces. Leave to dry for 24 hours on baking parchment set on a wire rack in a cool place. Keep for up to a month in an airtight container.